Omicron cases in Bangladesh rise to 62

Bangladesh has reported seven more cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus after the new variant was first detected in December.

With this, the total number of Omicron cases in the country stands at 62 as of Thursday morning, according to the data released from Germany in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), an international database organisation for the virus. 

The country first reported the Omicron variant on 11 December after two Bangladesh women cricketers, who were infected by the variant, returned from Zimbabwe.

The two women cricketers – 21 and 30 years old - have recovered and returned home after testing negative for the virus, according to a source close to the IEDCR. 

Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 infections in the country has increased by 228% in the last week compared to the previous week. Deaths from the deadly virus increased by 185% during the same period which is being considered to be very alarming by the health authorities.